Definitive Best Browser Engine 2

[ViperAFK]

Webkit

[Andre S. Veteran]

I've no idea what's the best engine. I only have direct experience with actual web browsers, not engines. There's much more to a browser than an engine anyway. There's the UI, there's the extensibility, the customizability, the integration in the OS, the portability, the responsiveness, the stability... Anyway, what does "best" mean for a web engine? Quality of the rendering? Speed? Ease of programming/customisation (at the code level)? Number of bugs pending? It's a pointless question except for people who have really worked with these engines (like web browser developers) and know how they work.

Of course everyone's going to vote according to their favorite web browser, but the question ruins the validity of the poll.

[ViperAFK]

My favorite browser is firefox, but webkit is definitely the best engine.

Most Standards compliant, fastest, and well designed.

[iamwhoiam]

Because, as a user, you surely would want the most efficient browser engine possible. With it being open source, the code is available to any of the public to develop off or improve upon. Eventually, with competition of other rendering engines and ideas from many developers out there who take advantage of the open source project, the rendering engine will become more efficient and maybe more effective.

That's why it should matter to you ;)

The majority of computer users don't care what's under the hood as long as it works and they can see and interact with sites. The general public doesn't go around looking a CVS repositories for nightly engine builds nor do they debug and/or write code.

That's why it doesn't matter to me.

[Pallab]

Opera - Look at its portability. Presto works not only on Pcs but also on Mobile phones, Fridges, Cars and whatnot.

Also Opera blows away the competition in HTML/CSS rendering speed.

The only aspect it slightly lags behind is js rendering. But that would also be fixed soon when Opera includes its new js engine in Presto.

Presto is fast, standards compliant, light and flexible. Too bad you need to license it from Opera to use in your own apps.

Gecko and Trident as engines are horrible.

Webkit is also a fantastic engine.

You may want to add (Google Chrome) next to WebKit too.

VidER

Google Chrome uses a modified webkit engine (I think called V8).

[Kreuger]

I dont find a difference between the engines, its just what the browser does and how I interact with it

[Calum Veteran]

The majority of computer users don't care what's under the hood as long as it works and they can see and interact with sites. The general public doesn't go around looking a CVS repositories for nightly engine builds nor do they debug and/or write code.

That's why it doesn't matter to me.

The general public doesn't care what's under the hood, but they sure as hell care if it works well.

Look at what happened with Internet Explorer, before Firefox gained popularity - it was not on par with the Gecko engine which Firefox uses. Now, years later, Microsoft's browser has only just become compliant with CSS 2.1 standards, at a time when developers of the Gecko and Webkit engines are getting their browsers up to speed with CSS 3 (currently in development).

Why is Internet Explorer so behind? Because there was no competition at the time when Firefox was being developed and just starting out. They slacked and didn't research (or take seriously) upcoming web standards or tecnologies.

This explains the point of mine you quoted very well - without competition, you don't always get something that works or works well. Internet Explorer 6 and 7 do not work (properly) in the modern age, yet they are used by many people. Internet Explorer 6 doesn't even show the transparency in transparent PNGs :s If it wasn't for competition, it's likely that Internet Explorer would still be at that standard and seeing as though it's bundled with Windows (therefore, used by the majority of Windows users), it should be one of the best browsers at rendering webpages, not the worst.

The average user may not care about the backend, rendering side, of their web browser, but they certainly care if it works or not.

On a side note, since I made those posts, over a year ago, I have since changed my mind and prefer the Webkit engine now. It is much faster and feels much less 'clunky' than the Gecko engine.

Edited June 13, 2009 by Calum

[Imran Hussain]

WebKit - the Google Chrome version

[Victor V.]

I think the poll should be redone because at the start people were biased by the fact that Safari was the most known browser for WebKit.

[sensurround]

My vote for best engine is WebKit, hands down. It's a shame there isn't a useful browser based on this engine though...Safari is a joke, but Chrome is at least trying to get there. Maybe someday.

[yanowhiz]

Presto! Mainly because I use Opera!

[jbarcus81]

Just like it's been said here before.. I feel my web browsing experience is depicted on how it functions.. I mainly use Chrome nightly builds and IE8 for certain sites.. I was an avid FF user because of Ad-Blocking but I'm floating toward Chrome mostly these days..

[M_Lyons10]

I never heard of Konquerer...

I was also surprised Opera got the number of votes that it did. I always hated their browsers... To each their own I guess... LOL

[etempest]

Chrome uses code from mozilla as well as webkit (mostly webkit for rendering).

[ViperAFK]

Opera - Look at its portability. Presto works not only on Pcs but also on Mobile phones, Fridges, Cars and whatnot.

Also Opera blows away the competition in HTML/CSS rendering speed.

The only aspect it slightly lags behind is js rendering. But that would also be fixed soon when Opera includes its new js engine in Presto.

Presto is fast, standards compliant, light and flexible. Too bad you need to license it from Opera to use in your own apps.

Gecko and Trident as engines are horrible.

Webkit is also a fantastic engine.

Google Chrome uses a modified webkit engine (I think called V8).

Google chrome uses webkit, V8 is its javascript engine.

[SMELTN]

you know I voted firefox, because I am just so used to it... It's so comfortable. TONS of features/addon's. Tons of support and users to get ideas, tips/tricks from.

I liked Chrome, and I like Google, but it just doesn't have enough for me yet.

[mildpanda]

WebKit for Web Inspector!

[jbarcus81]

Just like it's been said here before.. I feel my web browsing experience is depicted on how it functions.. I mainly use Chrome nightly builds and IE8 for certain sites.. I was an avid FF user because of Ad-Blocking but I'm floating toward Chrome mostly these days..

Wow, funny how thing's can and always change. I have now moved on and am using Safari..

[Chasethebase Veteran]

Best engine? Well that would be WebKit of course. I find that it's far superior to Gecko (Which is what I use in Firefox) and the themes and addons keep me using Firefox.

[Zmijutin]

That thing which is in Google Chrome :D

[Ibutsu]

WebKit (for me) is the easiest to code html for, and also seems to be the fastest. I hope people voting here actually understand the difference between the browser and the engine, and aren't just voting for what their browser uses, because it's their favourite browser. :whistle:

[unintentional]

While Presto is great with standards compliance, Webkit is just so dang FAST! When you need to load a decent sized page on a slow connection, you can really feel the difference between others like Trident.

Gecko has outstanding extensibility and a solid framework foundation, but it seems like the developers are always one step behind those of Webkit in implementing upcoming standards in HTML 5, CSS 3, etc. Gecko is also not the best on the speed front. I'd overall rate these:

Standards Compliance:

1. Presto

2. Webkit

3. Gecko

4. Trident

Speed:

1. Webkit

2. Presto

3. Gecko

4. Trident

Framework Solidity:

1. Gecko (Open source, rock solid security)

2. Trident (Microsoft worked hard on this after the first browser wars)

3. Webkit (Clean, easy to code on)

4. Presto (Proprietary)

Extra Goodies:

1. Webkit (CSS transformations, latest HTML 5 specs, no WOFF fonts)

2. Gecko (semi-updated HTML 5 specs, WOFF fonts, early HTML 5 video implementation)

3. Presto (Smoking hot javascript engine)

4. Trident (nothing)

Feel free to agree or disagree with me, as always :)

Webkit FTW!

[iwod]

Well since this Poll started more then 2 years ago. If the poll can be restarted i am sure WebKit will be far ahead of Mozilla.

[unintentional]

Definitive Best Browser Engine 3 for all your voting needs :)

Webkit is ahead as of now.